Director Idrissa Ouedraogo of Burkina Faso, a giant of African cinema, died Sunday. He was 64, according to his country’s national filmmakers guild. The cause of death was not revealed.

The prolific Ouedraogo was best known for Tilai, a powerful drama about family honor that won the Cannes Jury Prize in 1990.

President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said in a statement that his country “has lost a filmmaker of immense talent,” noting that the director “truly contributed to turning the spotlight on Burkinabe and African cinema beyond our borders.”

Born Jan. 21, 1954, in what was then called Upper Volta, a French colony, Ouedraogo studied in Kiev before moving to Paris. There he attended the prestigious Institut d’Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques and graduated with a degree in film studies from the Sorbonne in 1985.

His first film, Yam Daabo , arrived in 1986, followed by Yaaba, an unusual love story between a young boy and an elderly woman spurned by her village. The film won the FIPRESCI Prize in Cannes in 1989.

That was the start of Ouedraogo’s international fame, which led to what is now considered his keynote work, Tilai. The complicated story finds a man returning to his village after a long absence, only to find that his father has married his fiance. Even though she is now officially his mother, they begin an affair, and trouble ensues.

Ouedraogo also had a theatrical work, The Tragedy of King Christopher, and largely worked in television in recent years, largely because finding funding to shoot on film – his requirement – became difficult. However, friends claimed he was planning a comeback to film.

Tributes to Ouedraogo poured in from various corners of the world.

Janaina Oliveira of Brazil’s Center for Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous Studies, was preparing a retrospective of Ouedraogo’s work. “We talked two weeks ago,” she said in a Facebook post. “I was bringing him to Brazil. Tickets, screening, tribute…it was all set. He was so happy.”

Gilles Jacob, president of the Cannes film festival when Tilai debuted, said Ouedraogo “closed his eyes for good right when the sun which illuminated his body of work was setting.”

Pundits will probably look at today’s Outstanding Film BAFTA victory by Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri over its (at least nominally) more favored Fox Searchlight stablemate The Shape Of Water as perhaps a game-changing moment in this year’s still unsettled Best Picture Oscar race. Certainly it gives the Martin McDonagh film new

momentum, especially after his snub by the Academy’s directors branch. (And that may not matter much since the BAFTA directorial win for Guillermo Del Toro for Shape all but cements an Oscar win in that category as well, as if it needed more concrete). And this five-win victory (each one of which I correctly predicted over at PMC’s Gold Derby betting site) including Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell, Original Screenplay , and Best British Film should not really be looked at as much of a surprise since despite its very American

Fox Searchlight Pictures

storyline, Three Billboards is a thoroughly British production. Plus as I pointed out in my Notes On The Season column on Friday, the recent real life uses of the Three Billboards idea to demand action in unsolved cases in London and elsewhere may be a matter of perfect timing. They emphasize the fact that this film about an outraged mother’s desperate acts to get justice for the murder and rape of her daughter can only increase its importance in the social sphere – something voters take very seriously in awarding Best Picture. BAFTA voters probably gave it points for being a British-co-financed film that uncovers some uncomfortable and very dark aspects of life in America today.

All that said, the correlation between BAFTA winners and Oscar winners in recent years has been spotty at best. In fact they haven’t

REX/Shutterstock

agreed on Best Picture since 2013’s 12 Years A Slave, although in that particular year they only matched on one out of the four acting winners.Recent BAFTA Best Film winners La La Land, The Revenant and Boyhood all failed to repeat that victory a couple of weeks later at the Oscars. Last year, in fact, the two organizations, who share more than 600 common members, only agreed on about half the overall winners in categories where they have overlap, so you should proceed with caution if you use the BAFTA results as a guide to filling out your entry in the Oscar pool. The difference in the top award between these two groups can probably be chalked up to the Motion Picture Academy’s use of a preferential voting system in determining Best Picture. That means your second choice could be more important that your first as the Academy tries to reach a “consensus” rather than the up-or-down vote they use in the 23 other categories.

While still keeping the Oscar Best Picture contest in the too-close-to-call category, today’s BAFTA results did help solidify favorites in other categories, including all four acting races (McDormand, Rockwell, Janney, Oldman); director for Del Toro; adapted screenplay for Call Me By Your Name; score and production design for Shape Of Water, makeup for Darkest Hour; costume design for Phantom Thread; and Animated Film for Coco. The mildly surprising editing award for Baby Driver was a bit eye-opening and puts that category into play (Dunkirk and I, Tonya were winners at the ACE Eddies). Roger Deakins’ one-two punch this weekend, winning for Blade Runner 2049’s cinematography at both ASC and BAFTA gives further credence to those who believe a long-denied Oscar is finally in his sights as a kind of career honor after 13 previous Oscar losses.

What today’s BAFTA results also indicate is that if Christopher Nolan can’t win in Britain with Dunkirk he probably can’t win anywhere. Its sole BAFTA victory was for Sound. Also, it

Thomas Alexander/BAFTA/REX/Shutterstock

is apparent that the other British behemoth in both races, Darkest Hour, is destined to match its two BAFTA wins for Gary Oldman and his makeup at the Oscars, but nothing else. The Brits instead anointed their production about a dark and violent America as their home grown choice this year. Whether Three Billboard Outside Ebbing, Missouri follows that up on March 4 with a Best Picture win may all be in the way those numbers crunch on Oscar’s preferential ballot. Three Billboards has now won at the Golden Globes, SAG, and BAFTA, while Shape Of Water won at PGA, DGA, and Critics Choice. Neither won at the WGA. With the BAFTA awards representing the last big precursor ceremony before Oscar voting opens on Tuesday we are likely guaranteed that the one category going right down to the wire on Oscar night will be , once again, the final category: Best Picture Of The Year. Fasten your seatbelts.

One of the hardest things about covering Hollywood for New York editors is trying to convince them that most of the next year’s stories have already happened. Films are made on a long lead time of, say, 18 months, give or take. So most of the touchy decisions, political fights, minor victories, major failures and meaningful trends are already history by the time a picture is ready for its close-up with the opinion-makers back East. (At the New York Times, I was once warned not to keep trying “to get ahead of the curve”; being in the news business, I did a lot of head-scratching over that one.)

At the moment, one Hollywood trend that appears to be locked in, and will surely be the grist for year-end assessments from ever-alert Manhattan, is a swing of the pendulum, back toward screen comedy.

For whatever reason—the mood, the mix, the mysterious whims of the movie gods—last year was a comedic disaster. Putting aside animation (Despicable Me 3) and pure fantasy (Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle), the year’s best-performing screen comedy appears to have been Universal’s Girls Trip, a bawdy, female romp that was Number 26 at the domestic box-office, according to Boxofficemojo.com, with $115.2 million in ticket sales. That put it lower than an action dud like Transformers: The Last Knight, but well above comic disappointments like Pitch Perfect 3 (43 percent behind its 2015 predecessor), Daddy’s Home 2 (31 percent behind the original), or A Bad Moms Christmas (36 percent behind the previous installment, and No. 44 at the year’s box office).

Adjusted for ticket price inflation, The Hangover, from 2009, outperformed the next 12 live action comedies of 2017—combined.

In all, about 16 comedies got a wide release and landed among the 150 top-grossing films at the domestic box-office last year. So far, no live-action comedy has had a wide release this year.

But the aforementioned pendulum begins its swing on Friday with the release of Warner’s Game Night, an action-comedy with Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in prominent roles. Win, lose, or draw, it will be the first of at least 22 live-action comedies currently scheduled for wide release by Hollywood companies through the end of 2018. Gringo follows from STX on March 9. Blockers comes a month later from Universal. Behind those are a rich mix of female comedies (I Feel Pretty, The Hustle), musical comedies (Valley Girl, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again), ethnic comedies (Crazy Rich Asians, Night School), and good, old-fashioned stupidity (Super Troopers 2).

It’s a fair bet that one or more of those will beat the comedic under-performers of 2017. In any case, the films are shot or in process, and the future is already fact: This year will bring nearly 40 percent more wide-release comedies than last.

Outside of the fashion world, Vivienne Westwood isn’t necessarily a household name, but after Lorna Tucker’s documentary Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is released, it very well might be. Greenwich Entertainment announced that it has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the first documentary that puts the spotlight on the British fashion design icon.

Westwood premiered earlier this year at Sundance and follows the titular designer’s life, her fashion, her personality, her activism, and her cultural importance. Along with her ex-partner and Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren, Dame Vivienne Westwood (yup, she’s a dame) redefined fashion for over 40 years. Rooted in the punk aesthetic, her fashion included everything from chicken bones to tartan to ridiculously high platform heels to offbeat red carpet glamor, Westwood created — and continues to create many of the most distinctive looks of our time.

The doc combines archive, beautifully crafted reconstruction, and insightful interviews with Vivienne’s fascinating network of collaborators, guiding us on her journey from a childhood in postwar Derbyshire to the runways of Paris and Milan. Through exclusive access, Tucker gives us an intimate and poignant look at Westwood, her art, activism, legacy, and influence on culture.

“Lorna Tucker has managed to get behind a very prickly exterior to reveal the life and career of one of pop culture’s great iconoclasts,” says Greenwich Co-Managing Director Ed Arentz.

Dogwoof is set to release the film on March 23 in the UK. Greenwich will follow with a yet-to-be-announced U.S. release this summer.

Westwood was produced by John Battsek (Searching for Sugar Man), Shirine Best, Eleanor Emptage and Nicole Stott with Anna Godas and Leo Haidar as executive producers. The filmmakers were represented by Ana Vicente of Dogwoof who negotiated the deal with Arentz.

UPDATED with complete list of winners, more details: Fox Searchlight’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri walked away with the Best Film prize and a leading five wins overall at the BAFTA Awards tonight at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

The annual EE British Academy Film Awards were a Searchlight affair, with Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water taking three awards including Best Director for del Toro. The strong showing makes both films strong candidates for the top prizes at the Oscars just two Sundays from now. Only they and Focus Features’ Darkest Hour (2) had more than one win.

Also cementing frontrunner status in the Actor and Actress races: Darkest Hour‘s Gary Oldman and Three Billboards‘ Frances McDormand, who have been leading the way all awards season. Both of those pics had nine noms each heading into the night, but it was Three Billboards that pulled away with wins for Sam Rockwell in Supporting, Martin McDonagh for Original Screenplay, and for Outstanding British Film.

Allison Janney (I, Tonya) won the Supporting Actress prize, and Get Out‘s Daniel Kaluuya won the Rising Star Award. James Ivory won the Adapted Screenplay prize for Call Me By Your Name.

It was particularly heavy year for British film, with Three Billboards co-financed by the UK’s Film4 and Darkest Hour and Paddington 2 scoring noms. Dunkirk, an Oscar Best Picture nominee, did not qualify in the Outstanding British Film category though it was directed by Christopher Nolan featured a largely Brit cast. It won once tonight, for Sound.

We followed the action so check out the live blog below the winners list to see how it went down (all photos courtesy REX/Shutterstock):

She says BAFTA is supporting 800 young filmmakers, and expanding HQ to help more. “Our shores are awash with untapped talent.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:01 am

BAFTA Chair Jane Lush is speaking now, addressing the importance to acknowledge what a difficult year for this industry this has been and talks about the BAFTA/BFI guidelines that have been drafted “aimed at conifining to the past the abusive work practices in outdated power structures.” Noting 2018 marks 100 years of suffrage but that today’s gender imbalance is “ridiculous. Let this be the year when MeToo goes in hand with WeToo. We at BAFTA want to lead the way.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:01 am

I guess Cirque du Soleil are actually waiting a few minutes before they storm the stage and refuse to yield…

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:02 am

Jane Lush sums up by thanking BAFTA President Prince William.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:03 am

We have a prerecord bit with Joanna Lumley. She calls Woody Harrelson, cutting into a clip of Three Billboards. Now Timothee Chalamet, a phone clip from Call Me By Your Name.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:03 am

This is Lumley’s first time out

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:03 am

She’s dropping lots of “darlings”, which is what you want from Joanna Lumley.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:04 am

Now a call from Stalin, and then Churchill. God, lots of films featured phone scenes this year. This is an inspired bit.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:04 am

Now she’s on with Hugh Grant in Paddington 2. “I’m hosting the BAFTAs and I wondered if you wanted to come?” “Well, wonderful news, yes, yes, of course.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:05 am

“Winny” Churchill rings back. “We need a name for this operation.” “I’ve got it covered darling. It’s the British Academy Film Awards”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:05 am

Cirque du Soleil is coming out now with a tribute to The Shape Of Water, which leads noms tonight

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:05 am

There’s a dude on a trapeize dressed as the fishman, and a woman dressed as Elisa.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:06 am

Because when I watched The Shape of Water, my first thought was, “God, I wish there were more trapezes”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:06 am

Joe, tell us how you really feel about Cirque du Soleil?

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:07 am

Sally Hawkins is loving it from the audience. So I suppose I should shut up.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:08 am

They’re spinning around to Alexandre Desplat’s score. Spinning. And spinning.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:08 am

And they end with a kiss, before milking the applause.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:09 am

Joanna’s backstage pretending to hoist the trapeze; she’s tied it to a chair to run on stage.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:09 am

Here comes her intro.

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:09 am

Just for Joe: Cirque on the red carpet earlier:

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:10 am

That was actually a relatively short CdS performance;

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:10 am

OH GOD. OH GOD. MAKE IT STOP.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:10 am

A lot of cuts to Gemma Arterton

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:10 am

Joanna addresses TimesUp, celebrating the RAH as the site of early resistance.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:11 am

“The ceremony is not just about the famous people. But anyway, let’s look at the famous people here tonight.”

Sally Hawkins is here, Lumley says. “She starred in a highly complex morality tale in which my favorite scene was when she helped Paddington on the train.”

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:12 am

And Deadline cuts to Gemma Arterton….

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:12 am

(Hawkins is in Shape and Paddington 2)

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:12 am

Turns to Frances McDormand and praises the “masterclass” she delivers in Three Billboards

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:12 am

Daniel Kaluuya star of the “jaw dropping” Get Out: “In the film’s most memorable moments Daniel is trapped in a chair powerless to move. A skill that will come in handy tonight because nobody gets a comfort break.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:13 am

“Sir Daniel Day-Lewis joins us tonight. He’s nominated for Phantom Thread. In preparation Daniel learnt to sew. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right, yes he did make my dress tonight. Thank you darling, Betty Jackson would be proud of you.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:13 am

Annette Bening is here for Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool which Joanna calls a “brilliant title and the reason all tonight’s nominess have been househunting in Merseyside”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:14 am

On Angelina Jolie, “The hardest working woman in Hollywood… since she’s been here tonight, she’s knocked up 400 portions of risotto for the after dinner”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:15 am

“The enchanting Octavia Spencer joins us.” She gets the biggest applause so far. “In the Shape of Water she stars in that mot classic stories: Girl meets Amphibious Humanoid…”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:15 am

“In one sense you’re all winners tonight. And in another sense, if you believe that you’ll believe anything.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:15 am

Hugh Grant has been getting great notices for his role in Paddington 2 and Joanna says, “How he managed to portray a vain, egocentric actor is beyond me” to laughter

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:16 am

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:16 am

Time for the Obligatory Awards ShowMontage of Movie Moments Set to Popular Music (The OASMMMSPM, as it’s popularly known).

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:17 am

(Nancy saw some Porgs in the montage before I was even able to introduce the montage. On behalf of Deadline, we apologise for this outrageous jumping of the gun)

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:18 am

The first award up is Outstanding British Film. Coming to present, Jennifer Lawrence.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:19 am

The nominees are Darkest Hour, Death of Stalin, God’s Own Country, Lady Macbeth, Paddington 2 and Three Billboards.

That’s a nice win as British film. It’s the first 50-50 co-fi that the UK’s Film4 ever did – in partnership with Fox Searchlight

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:23 am

It just crossed $100M worldwide last week, too

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:23 am

Here comes Martin McDonagh to claim his prize with producer Graham Broadbent. McDonagh jokes he’s half Irish so he’s not allowed to make the speech. Broadbent: “We finished this film about a year ago about a woman taking on the establishment. It seems more timely now than it did then with Times Out. It turns out meaningful change can happen quickly if we put our minds to it.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:24 am

The second award will be EE Rising Star. This is the only award voted for by the public. Margot Robbie and Octavia Spencer present.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:25 am

The nominees are Daniel Kaluuya, Florence Pugh, Josh O’Connor, Tessa Thompson and Timothee Chalamet. The award usually goes to the person in the most popular movie of the year. So that’d make it a tossup between Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and Tessa Thompson (Thor: Ragnarok). But my gut tells me Kaluuya has this in the bag.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:27 am

The nominees, fyi, are picked by a jury that meets at BAFTA’s HQ.

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:27 am

WINNER: EE RISING STAR AWARD – DANIEL KALUUYA

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:27 am

Joe, you called it

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:28 am

Daniel Kaluuya is wearing an amazing tux.

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:28 am

Kaluuya tonight:

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:28 am

Kaluuya: “I am a product of arts funding within the United Kingdom, I’d like to thank people that financially support that”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:29 am

He points to the countdown clock, although folks were asked ahead of time not to mention it – which is a bit silly, no?

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:30 am

Next up is Original Music. The nominees are Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Phantom Thread and The Shape of Water. Hans Zimmer isn’t here tonight despite being nominated for BOTH Dunkirk and Blade Runner. I suppose being pelted with awards gets boring after a while…

Jonny Greenwood also isn’t here, which is a shame as I’d quite like to annoy him at the dinner afterwards by telling him how much I love him.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:30 am

Presenting are Gemma Chan and Sergei Polunin, the ballet star.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:31 am

Speaking of Blade Runner 2019, lot of love here with Denis Villeneuve up for Director and another 7 noms for the pic

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:32 am

WINNER: ORIGINAL MUSIC – THE SHAPE OF WATER Alexandre Desplat

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:32 am

So that’s the first award for The Shape of Water. I was in an elevator with Alexandre Desplat earlier today. I have no further insights to reveal.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:32 am

Desplat: “What a venue for music [the Royal Albert Hall]. Guillermo your film is unique and the poetry you’ve given us is amazing. There’s a good bond between music and poetry.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:33 am

He notes they recorded the music at Abbey Road in London with The London Symphony Orchestra.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:33 am

Make-Up and Hair is next.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:34 am

After the premiere of Shape in Venice, Desplat told me he performed part of the whistling on the score

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:34 am

The nominees are Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, I, Tonya, Victoria & Abdul and Wonder. Let’s be honest: this has to be darkest hour.

Kazuhiro Tsuji was the only make-up artist Oldman knew could pull this off. He tempted him out of retirement to make it happen.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:37 am

All those hours in the make-up chair are paying off

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:37 am

Gary looks quite pleased about this one from the audience

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:38 am

From Darkest Hour, courtesy Focus Features:

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:38 am

Costume Design comes next. Will the British Academy go for the fantasy of Beauty & The Beast, the history of Darkest Hour, the ice skating threads of I, Tonya, the haute couture of Phantom Thread or the Cold War America patterns of The SHape of Water? I have to say I feel a movie with “Thread” in the title probably has a good shot. Presenting are Edward Holcroft and Tom Taylor.

We’re on Animated Film now. Same presenters. Only three noms in this category, Coco, Loving Vincent and My Life as a Courgette. I’ve managed to see NONE of them this year, so I’m not going to make a prediction this time. (Coco)

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:42 am

WINNER: ANIMATED FILM – COCO, Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:42 am

I really should have put some money down on these predictions…

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:44 am

Lee Unkrich collects: “Thanks to the people of Mexico. Your culture and traditions inspired me to make Coco and with Coco we tried to take a step towards a world where non-white characters talk and look like they do. Marginalized people deserve to feel like they belong. I hope we’ve made a difference and I hope it’s just a beginning.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:45 am

From backstage, Three Billboards’ Graham Broadbent is praising the health of the British film industry. McDonagh says he was thinking Outstanding British Film “could have gone to anyone. If they thought ours was too American.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:45 am

Editing and Documentary next. Presenting are Natalie Dormer and Hayley Squires. The nominees for Editing are Baby Driver, Blade Runner 2049, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards. I am intrigued by Baby Driver’s rare nomination in this category, but I feel it’ll be hard for it to pull a win off… not that it doesn’t very much deserve it.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:46 am

Asked about what filmmakers can do to support Time’s Up, McDonagh says “apart from making sure a film set is safe, which we would do anyway, it’s writing strong female parts. I’m really happy Frances’ performance is getting out there this year.”

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:46 am

Backstage, the Three Billboards trio:

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:46 am

WINNER: EDITING – BABY DRIVER, Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:46 am

I am going to claim I predicted this. But I did think it was a long shot. Still a well deserved win for Edgar Wright’s balletic getaway movie.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:47 am

Jonathan Amos says he’s lucky to work with Wright. “His innovative approach to filmmaking challenges you creatively to do your job in ways you never considered.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:50 am

Up next is Documentary, featuring nominees City of Ghosts, I am Not Your Negro, Icarus, An Inconvenient Sequel and Jane. I met Al Gore at last night’s Nominees’ Party, so I’m cheering him on. I also think it has a stronger shot here than anywhere else because I suspect it’s the doc most BAFTA members saw. I could be wrong though. It has been known to happen. And all of the other nominees feel like they have a shot.

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201811:50 am

WINNER: DOCUMENTARY – I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO, Raoul Peck

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:51 am

I Am Not Your Negro, which was Oscar nominated LAST year, came out later in the UK, hence its presence here.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:51 am

Daniel Kaluuya backstage talks about arts funding again, “We’re not being thought of and we have to work extra hard. Sometimes we have to take care of our family and arts funding helps. I feel like loads of organizations do that and it’s our responsibility to do something about it.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:52 am

Raoul Peck drops the thanks. He finished by thanking James Baldwin. “The perfect image of a great humanist. He left us with words necessary in a world of unapologetic ignorance.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:52 am

Kaluuya’s life has changed in that he now takes Uber everywhere. “I get the tube sometimes, I got the bus the other day – it was wicked.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201811:53 am

How is he going to celebrate the BAFTA win? “The thing about this awards season is you can’t really get drunkbecause there’s always someone taking a picture of you. I just want tobe with my friends and my family.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:53 am

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema is next. I predict most confidently that NFTS and Jon Wardle will be the victor here. Mainly because it was announced in advance. Celia Imrie comes out late. “I was having a glass of Bolinger and a cigarette, which is something you like isn’t it sweetie?” she tells Lumley.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:55 am

The National Film and Television School has trained alumni like Roger Deakins, and they are a huge presence in the British industry.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:56 am

Nick Park was also at NFTS, and he was its first Oscar and BAFTA winner.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201811:57 am

Jon Wardle is joined by Nik Powell, both hugely popular figures here in the UK industry.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:00 pm

Wardle accepts on behalf of all the students at the NFTS which now include now games makers. The school is dedicated to the idea that filmmakers should be missionaries for a better way of life. And so that the future Roger Deakins “wherever they come from have the opportunity and support to reach their full potential.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:01 pm

Next up is British Short Animation and British Short Film, presented by Anya Taylor Joy and Letitia Right.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:02 pm

Lumley jokes “I own at least three pairs of shoes older than [Taylor Joy and Right]”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:03 pm

Nik Powell mentions “the great Arsene Wenger” — sarcastically referring to the Arsenal football club manager and getting a laugh given how Arsenal has been doing lately. He quotes Wenger, “The largest room in the world is the room for improvement. We at the NFTS concern ourselves with that room for improvement.”

We’re halfway through. Nearly. Next up will be Film Not in the English Language, presented by Andrea Riseborough, “an actress who stole so many scenes in The Death of Stalin that the secret police banished her to Siberia” okes Lumley.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:08 pm

Also, I may have broken my J key, fyi.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:09 pm

Seriously, it barely works now. This is not the best.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:09 pm

Insert Js where appropriate.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:09 pm

The nominees for this award are Elle, First They Killed My Father, The Handmaiden, Loveless and The Salesman. Our resident Foreign Language expert (well, she speaks French) Nancy can chime in with more…

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:10 pm

Fortunately none of those films include the letter J.

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201812:11 pm

WINNER: FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE – THE HANDMAIDEN, Park Chan-wook, Syd Lim

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:11 pm

Park Chan-wook and Syd Lim are both absent tonight so no speech, straight onto Adapted Screenplay, presented by Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Orlando Bloom.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:11 pm

This is for a film that was originally released in 2016 from Korean master Park Chan-wook which was at the Cannes Film Festival that year

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:12 pm

The only film among the nominees in that category to be up for an Oscar is Loveless. Elle last year missed the cut and The Salesman won

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:12 pm

The nominees in this category are Call Me By Your Name, The Death of Stalin, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Molly’s Game and Paddington 2. Also all J-free, thank god.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:14 pm

Film Stars, by the way, appears a lot on the BAFTA list despite no Oscar love. At last night’s nominees party, I spent plenty of time celebrating with Annette Bening and Jamie Bell, who are greatful for the hometown love for a film produced by Bond’s Barbara Broccoli (and Colin Vaines) and directed by Paul McGuigan.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:14 pm

Yo Patrick, Spurs are still ahead…

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201812:14 pm

WINNER: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY – CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, James Ivory

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:15 pm

Veteran James Ivory says he’s never been here before all by himself and never for writing a screenplay

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:16 pm

Ivory is one half of the famed Merchant Ivory production house, with the late Ismael Merchant. He was also originally set to direct Call Me By Your Name, but financiers worried about his age. Guadagnino, who was a consultant and then a co-writer, stepped up and wanted to work from Ivory’s draft.

Joe, we’ve both followed this film since we saw the premiere in Venice

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:21 pm

An expected win for Sam, who says: “This has been a magical ourney. I’ve been a journeyman actor my whole life and I never dreamed of being in London celebrating with you.” He thanks the people who believed in him, “When even I didn’t believe in me.” Of McDonagh: “He’s annoyingly handsome to be as talented a writer/director as he is.” He changed his life, Rockwell says. “I stand on the shoulders of women strong and intelligent and righteous. Fran [McDormand], you’re the rock of this film and every film that every film you’re a part of relies. Leslie [Bibb], my heart is full because of you.”

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201812:22 pm

Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb tonight:

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:22 pm

Rockwell dedicates the award to the late Alan Rickman

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:22 pm

Rebecca Ferguson and Toby ones step out to present Production Design. Nominees: Beauty and the Beast, Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk and The Shape of Water.

A second win for Shape. So far only Shape and Three Billboards have more than one award: two each.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:25 pm

Austerberry calls the film “the little movie that could” then he thanks everyone at Sony. Huh? “I mean Fox Searchlight… a little bit of nervousness here.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:27 pm

Special Visual Effects is the next category, presented by Karen Gillan & Taron Egerton. Nominees are Blade Runner 2049, Dunkirk, The Shape Of Water, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and War For The Planet Of The Apes

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:28 pm

Gillan, whose Jumanji just crossed $900M worldwide, has a message for VFX artists not to start creating effects that would replace actors, “or we’ll track you down with the thing you fear most – natural light.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:28 pm

Can Dunkirk take this after all its press about the practical effects? It would be an interesting result.

Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer is next. I sat on this jury myself for four years in the past. Unlike the rest of the BAFTA awards this remains a jury vote through nominations and winner. The jury meets multiple times a year and literally considers every possible eligible nominee. That could count some 80-100 movies a year. It’s very thorough, so you kind of know that the winner (and nominees) are incredibly deserving.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:32 pm

Nominated are The Ghoul, I Am Not A Witch, Jawbone, Kingdom of Us and Lady Macbeth. I have a feeling this belongs to Lady Macbeth, but let’s see… Gemma Arterton and Lily James present. Arterton thanks the audience for standing up for “justice and equality” tonight.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:33 pm

Of course, some of these nominees were familiar before this year. Johnny Harris is a popular actor in the UK, writing and producing for the first time with Jawbone. William Oldroyd is a noted theatre director who makes his feature film directorial debut with Lady Macbeth. Past winners include Chris Morris, Duncan Jones and Paddy Considine.

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201812:34 pm

WINNER: OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER – I AM NOT A WITCH, Rungano Nyoni (Writer/Director), Emily Morgan (Producer)

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:35 pm

We just profiled Rungano on the site.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:35 pm

Rungano Nyoni was one of Deadline’s Cannes Ones to Watch last year, too

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:36 pm

Nyoni: “It’s really unexpected. We’re not prepared.” She thanks her husband and family. In the audience her mother is in tears.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:37 pm

Emily Morgan finsihes with a declaration: “Time’s Up”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:37 pm

More acrobats! Joe!!!

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:38 pm

They left the envelope on the stage. “We don’t want any embarrassing mix-ups later,” jokes Lumley. Cirque du Soleil take the envelope with more acrobatic whatever. “A bit OTT for the BAFTAs,” says Lumley, accurately.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:38 pm

Bryan Cranston comes out to present Supporting Actress. He is fresh in from the Berlin Film Festival (he was on my plane yesterday) where Isle Of Dogs opened the fest

Cranston marvels at the Royal Albert Hall and says, “The only way this evening could get more British would be if a TARDIS appeared and Jane Austen popped out with a corgi and apologizing for the sleet…”

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201812:41 pm

WINNER: SUPPORTING ACTRESS – ALLISON JANNEY, I, Tonya

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:42 pm

Janney: “I could simply murder a glass of water right now. I want to clear up a little lie I’ve perpetrated for the last 35 years. I didn’t, in fact, graduate from the Royal Academy.”

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 201812:44 pm

Allison Janney tonight:

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:44 pm

James Ivory was asked backstage if a possible Call Me By Your Name sequel would feature more peaches. “Oh, I hope so.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:45 pm

Sam Rockwell on his character in Three Billboards, “I think he has a lot of work to do, even at the end of the movie.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:46 pm

Rockwell on what happens on that final car ride with Mildred: “I think they went to a pub to get some liquid courage and ended up making out.”

Rockwell was asked about any tension on set with his black co-stars given the racist nature of his character. “We had a blast. It’s funny, when you’re doing dramatic material there’s more levity between takes. You tell nerdy theater stories. You more want to crack jokes, if you’re doing an emotional scene you have to prepare but it’s fun to be dramatic and everybody kind of digs that.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:50 pm

It’s Dunkirk’s first of the night. A real spread so far. But we generally see one or two films pull ahead when the biggest categories start announcing.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 201812:51 pm

Dunkirk, which feels very British, and yet is not qualified as such so wasn’t eligible for Outstanding British Film

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:52 pm

Original Screenplay now, with Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Weisz, reuniting 16 years after About a Boy. They star together in the upcoming The Favorite.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:52 pm

Nominees are Get Out, I, Tonya, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards.

A third win for Three Billboards. Here comes Martin McDonagh. He namechecks his fellow nominees. “it’s been hreat to get to know you guys over this last few weeks of craziness.” He thanks “my muse, Sam Rockwell.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 201812:57 pm

McDonagh: What we’re most proud of, in this Time’s Up year, is it’s about a women that refuses to take any shit anymore, played by a woman who always refused to take any shit. I’d like to thank Frances McDoramnd for a performance as unapologetic as it is fearsome.”

Oldman: “I salute my fellow nominees for your beautiful work. This is made all the more special because I can share it with my family tonight: my three sons and my beautiful wife and my extended family Jim Osborne and Douglas Urbanski.” He thanks Joe Wright, who “led the charge with such energy and passion”.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:06 pm

Oldman saves the last thanks for Winston Churchill. “In those dark and uncertain days he held the line for honor and integrity and freedom. For his nation and the world. I thank you Sir Winston. I thank you the Churchill family, and once again BAFTA.”

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 20181:07 pm

Gary Oldman tonight:

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:08 pm

Here comes Chiwetel Ejiofor to name the Leading Actress of the year. This could be a close one, with Sally Hawkins’ hometown advantage. If she wins, Shape and Three Billboards tie with three each. If it’s Frances McDormand, Three Billboards will have its fourth. It could also be Annette Bening, Margot Robbie or Saoirse Ronan.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:08 pm

Darkest Hour has been getting its own standing ovations in movie theaters during Oldman’s “on the beaches” speech as Churchill. The win is “all the more special because I can share it with my family, who are here tonight,” he said. On the red carpet earlier he said his newest grandchild’s middle name is Winston.

Alison Janney is asked backstage to comment on the fact that the Duchess of Cambridge is not wearing black tonight. “I would never judge anyone’s choice; she looked absolutely beautiful and I’m thrilled she’s pregnant again. She can wear whatever she wants.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:12 pm

Frances McDormand: “Thank you British film people. As Martin said, I have a little trouble with compliance.” She gets a whoop. “But I want you to know I stand in full solidarity with my sisters tonight in black.” She is wearing a colorful dress but its pattern is set against black. “I am thrilled that activists all over the world have been inspired by the set decoration of the three billboards and have taken to the streets and let it be a part of the positive discourse that is happening.” She is referring to recent protests re: Marco Rubio and the Grenfall tower which have taken the Three Billboards idea. “Who would have thought that Marge Gunderson would grow up to be Mildred Hays? Power to the people.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:13 pm

Of course the first use of Three Billboards as protest in real life happened at the film’s very own London Film Festival premiere, where protestors complaining about not being paid a London Living Wage at Picturehouse Cinemas made their presence felt. The festival uses Picturehouse as a venue.

Janney is told all of the Supporting Actress nominees are over 45. She says believes there are more roles for older women and namechecks Reese Witherspoon for doing Big Little Lies. “There are opportunities for more complex and interesting roles. I’m excited about Margot (Robbie) becoming a really important producer. I think it’s only going to get better and better.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:15 pm

Guillermo has been taking this award throughout the season. But with four wins already, could this go to Billboards?

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 20181:16 pm

WINNER: DIRECTOR – Guillermo del Toro, THE SHAPE OF WATER

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:17 pm

Another movie that started in Venice and that we’ve followed so closely since its stunning debut

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:18 pm

So that’s three for Shape, and a continuing trend to honor the maestro, Guillermo del Toro. “Thank you Fox Searchlight for all the support and my per diem yesterday. it’s really useful for all the black pudding. The shadow of English culture has loomed large in my life, shaping my creativity. I make no secret of the importance of Powell and Pressburger in making this movie.” He calls Sally Hawkins “the miracle.” “She made it a point to stand two fo the greats: Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel, who did so much with so little.” He especially thanks Mary SHelley. “She has remained a figure in my life as important as family. When I think of giving up I think of her.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:18 pm

Del Toro on Shelley: “She gave voice to the voiceless and showed me that to stand up to monsters we have to create monsters ourselves with parables.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:19 pm

The audience is making good on accessing its “inner American” as it was requested earlier in the evening; there’s a lot of love for the winners

Patrick HipesFebruary 18, 20181:19 pm

Guillermo del Toro tonight:

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:20 pm

Daniel Craig presents Best Film, the penultimate award of the night. Call Me By Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, and Three Billboards are the nominees. Leading the pack so far: Three Billboards with four, The Shape with three, Darkest Hour with two. Dunkirk, Call Me By Your Name and Dunkirk all have one award each.

Martin McDonagh gives Guillermo del Toro a huge hug on his way to the stage. The Three Billboards team join him.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:24 pm

McDonagh says he’s “overwhelmed. Ours is hopeful film in lots of ways but also an angry one. As we’ve seen this year, sometimes anger is the only way to get people to change. We’re thrilled that BAFTA has recognized this.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:25 pm

The final award is the British Academy’s highest honor, The BAFTA Fellowship. It will be presented – spoiler – to Ridley Scott. Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge presents, and introduces Kenneth Branagh to talk about Scott.

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:26 pm

Branagh: “In his films, he pulls of the feat of inviting audiences to seriously contemplate ideas but also, to borrow his words, scare the shit out of him. And yes, the compilation we’re about to see does include John Hurt’s chest.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:28 pm

Three Billboards getting both Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Film is well and truly deserved, but a bit surprising. There’s a homefield advantage in it being a Film4 movie

Ridley comes up to stage to a standing ovation. Prince William gives him his BAFTA and a pat on the shoulder.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:30 pm

My Luberon neighbor Ridley Scott…

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:33 pm

Scott: “It’s been 40 years in this business and this the first time they’ve ever given me anything so I’m not going to go quietly” as he launches into his speech

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:35 pm

Scott says he’s joined the “octogenarian club” and wonders if the “real reason behind the award is ‘better give him something before it’s too late’.”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:38 pm

Joanna Lumley wraps up the show and adds, referring to the previous incumbent in the host spot, “Stephen, Stephen Fry, if you’re watching, I hope that was all right.”

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:39 pm

He was inspired to get into art by his father. After coming in last in his class four years in a row. “Dad put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘you can onlydo the best you can but whatever you decide to do make sure you loveit.’”

Joe UtichiFebruary 18, 20181:39 pm

Nancy is still processing Ridley’s speech – so much great insight to come – but that’s the show over, as the winners head to the stage for a winners’ photo.

Nancy TartaglioneFebruary 18, 20181:41 pm

Scott speaks of the importance of teachers and mentions his late brother Tony Scott, his partner for 50 years. He says the best stories come from truth and “entertainment can be the most powerful form of education” citing the rise of documentaries and particularly Blue Planet. Finally, he closes with “I’m available in autumn 2019.”